Diverter spout



April 3, 1963 w. w. REINEMANN 3,086,748

DIVERTER SPOUT Filed May 24, 1961 INVENTOR WILFRED W.RE1NEMANN ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fi ice 3,08%,748 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 3,936,748 DIVERTER SPGUT Wilfred W. Reincniann, Kohler, Wis, assignor to Kohler (30., Kchler, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed May 24, 1961, Ser. No. 112,314 2 Claims. (ill. 251119) This invention relates to diverter spouts, and it more specifically resides in a spout having an outlet chamber connected to an inlet through a valve port that may be closed to divert water to a shower head or the like, in which chamber there is a longitudinally extending baffle above said valve port to subdivide the chamber into a pocket above the baffle and a water passage beneath the baflie so that the water is caused to flow through said passage along the underside of said bafile with velocity sufficient to develop an aspiration that draws inwardly through said pocket.

Diverter spouts are used in combination bath and shower installations to either divert water towards the shower head fixture or to permit normal flow through the spout into the bathtub. Such diverting is usually accomplished by closing a valve in the spout to prevent further discharge, and to thereby force the water to bypass the spout and flow upwardly to the associated shower head. The valve in the spout is manually operable and a valve stem extends through an opening in the wall of the spout. Present spouts have a tendency to leak at the point where the valve stem passes through the spout body when the valve is open for normal discharge through the spout, and this is of course objectionable.

The diverter spout of this invention eliminates such leakage about the valve stem by creating an aspirator action preventing flow of water outwardly about the stem. This aspirator action as created by the provision of a longitudinally extending b aille disposed within the outlet chamber of the spout between the valve port and the valve stem opening. Water flowing through the spout, when the valve is opened, is caused to flow along the underside of the bafiie with a velocity sufiicient to create a reduced pressure in the outlet chamber, thus causing air to be drawn inwardly through the valve stem opening so as to check outward leakage of the water. When the valve is in the diverting position, the stem lies entirely on the outlet side of the closed valve port and, therefore, there can be no leakage about the stem at such time.

The aspirator action thus produced permits the use of smaller tolerances between .the valve stem and the stem opening than is possible in present devices. This is because reduced leakage about the stern minimizes mineral deposits in the opening, and a sliding fit between parts can then be maintained without resort to an oversize opening. The oversize tolerance as now needed to insure that the stem will move freely through the stern hole, even though mineral deposits may be present, is eliminated by the invention. Since there is minimal leakage in the spout of this invention, a large tolerance is not necessary and the smaller tolerances provide improved alignment and proper seating of the valve.

The diverter spout of the present invention may further be provided with a resilient bias tending to retain the valve in an open, non-diverting position. The force of such bias is overcome by the pressure of the water on the inlet side of the valve port when the valve is moved to a closed position. However, when the supply of water to the diverter is out off the resilient bias assists in returning the valve to an open position by gravity,

- and may also initially assist in breaking the seal between the valve and its valve seat.

The present diverter spout may further be constructed so as to be completely serviceable from the exterior without necessitating removal of the spout from its connecting plumbing. This is accomplished by the provision of a removable plug which forms a part of the lower outer wall of the diverter and which is disposed below the valve stem. Removal of the plug gives access to the valve, which then may be removed from its stem, and the stem in turn is then removable from the spout body. Thus, all parts are accessible after removal of the plug for servicing or replacement.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a diventer spout which is simple in construction and operation, and is adapted for simplified manufacturing processes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a diverter spout which creates an aspirator action to prevent leakage about the valve stem.

It is another object of this invention to provide a diverter spout which is strong and sturdy and has a minimum number of parts.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a diverter spout which may be easily serviced without removal of the spout. i

It is also an object of this invention to provide a diverter spout which insures positive diversion of water to a shower head. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof and in which there is shown by way of illustration, and not of limitation, a specific embodiment for the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of the diverter spout of this invention together with connections to a water supply and a shower head,

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken along the longitudinal, vertical center line of the diverter spout, and

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken through the plane 33 shown in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, as is well known to those skilled in the art, the diverter spout 1 is adapted to be connected to a feed pipe 2 that 15 fed from water supply pipes such as that designated by the numeral 3. A control valve actuated by a handle 4 is connected with each supply pipe 3, and a shower pipe 5 leads upwardly from supply pipes 3 and valves 4 to a shower head 6. Water may thus flow to either the diverter spout 1 or to the shower head 6.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the diverter spout 1 is comprised of a hollow, unitary body 7 preferably formed from a single casting. The body 7 includes a threaded inlet 8 at its rear adapted for threaded engagement with the pipe 2, and an outlet 9 formed by the open forward end of the body 7. The body 7 is further formed with a vertical pantition 16 which extends transversely across the upper interior of the body 7 and merges at its lower edge with a horizontal step 1-1 that etxends forward from the partition 10. The step 11 includes a centrally located valve port 12 and the forward edge of the step 11 turns downwardly into a lower vertical partition 13., whereby the spout 1 is subdivided into an outlet chamber 14 and an inlet chamber 15- connected to one another by the horizontally disposed valve port 12.

A base portion 16 for the spout 1 extends across the bottom of the body 7 beneath the horizontal step 11 and is provided with a threaded bore 17 and a concentric opening 13 both in vertical alignment with the valve port 12. The base portion 16 joins at its forward edge with the lower partition 13, and at its rear it forms a lower 3 Continuation of the partition 1'0 so as to define the inlet chamber 15.

A horizontal baffle 19 that is spaced above the valve port 12 extends fiorwardly from the partition into the outlet chamber 14 and also extends across the entire width of the spout 1 to merge with the spout walls, as seen in FIG. 3. The baffle 19 projects a considerable distance forward of the valve port 12 to have a substantial overhang beyond the iorwardmost extent of the horizontal step 11. The bafile 19 thus divides the rear of the chamber 14 into a pocket 2% lying beneath the upper wall of the spout 1 and a water passage 21 that runs from the valve port 12 along the underside of the bafile 19' into the chamber proper 14.

A circular valve 22 is secured to the threaded lower end 23 of a valve stem 24 that extends through the lower opening 18, the valve port 12 and vertically aligned stem hole 25 and stem opening 26 provided in the baffle 19 and the top wall of the body 7, respectively. A nut 27 in threaded engagement with the threaded end 23 of the stem 24 assists in securing the valve 22 to the stem 24.

An operating knob 28 is secured -to the upper end of the stem 24 that extends to the exterior of the spout 1, to assist in grasping the stern for raising the valve 22 into closed position with the valve port 12.

A circular, threaded plug 29 is adapted to be received within the threaded bore 17 to close the body 7, while permitting access to the interior of the spout 1 when desired. The plug 29 is dished to permit seating of the valve 22 when it is an open position and to provide clearance tor the nut 27 and lower end 23 of the stem 24. The plug 29 is slotted to allow turning of the plug 29 for its removal. A gasket 30 is disposed between the plug 29 and the base portion 16 to insure a proper seal.

A valve seat 31 is provided on the inlet side of the valve port 12 to seat the valve 22 when it is in a closed position. A resilient biasing means in the form of a compression spring 32 surrounds the stem 24 and bears at its upper end against the underside of the bafile 19 and at its lower end against the valve 22 to thereby urge the valve into its lowered position.

'With the valve 22 in its lower position rest-ing upon the inner surface of the plug 29, the diverter spout '1 is open and water may flow through the pipe 2 into the inlet chamber 15, through the port 12 to the outlet chamber 14 and thence firom the outlet 9 into the bathtub. The spring 32 resists any tendency of the valve' 22 to move vertically upward with the water flow. 'As water flows throughthe diverter spout (when the valve 22 is inits lower, open position) the flow is directed through the port 12 to the restricted passage 21 formed by the bafile 19 and horizontal step 11. The flow through such restricted passage 21 along the underside of the bafile 19 imparts a sufiicient velocity to the water to cause a partial vacuum to he created in the chamber 14 at the vicinity of the forward end of the bafile 19. The pocket 20 thus becomes a region of reduced pressure and an aspirator action occurs in which air moves downwardly through the stem opening 26 into the pocket 20 and hence into the outlet chamber 14. This entrainment of air characterized by an inward flow is maintained as water is flowing through the diverter spout 1 and any tendency toward leakage about the stem 24 that might otherwise occur is minimized so that-the problem ofi leakage about the valve stem is solved.

When it is desired to divert the flow of water to the shower head 6, the stem 24 and valve 22 are pulled upwardly by grasping the knob 28. Slight upward displacement of the valve 22 may allow water to work under 31, the pressure of the water on the inlet side of the spout 1 is suflicient to retain the valve 22 in closed position. Since the valve stem 24 is located on the outlet side of the port 12, no leakage about the stem 24 will occur.

When the flow of water to the shower head 6 is cut ofi by operation of the valves 4, the diverter valve 22 will open. The combined weight of the knob 28, stem 24 and valve 22 is sufficient to break the seal between the valve 22 and valve seat 31 and to overcome the force resulting from water present in the pipes 2 and 5, and the spring 32 may assist such opening of the valve 22. The opening of the valve 22 then permits the water remaining in the pipes 2 and 5 to discharge through the spout 1.

Relatively close tolerances, in the order ofi A of an inch may be employed between the stem 24 and the hole 25 and opening 26, and vertical movement of the stem 24 will then have a wiping effect that removes mineral deposits which rnay collect in the hole 25 and opening 26 or along the stem 24. These mineral deposits are reduced in the use of the invention, since leakage along the stem 24 is minimized, and under this circumstance the wiping can effectively clear away the deposits to maintain a smooth sliding fit between the parts.

Servicing the diverter spout 1 is accomplished by simply removing the threaded plug 29. This permits access to the valve 22 and nut 27 which may both be removed from the threaded end 23 of the stem 24. The spring 32 may also then be removed. The stem 24 may be withdrawn upwardly from the body 7 after the valve 24 and nut 27 have been removed. Thus, all parts can be removed for servicing or replacement without disconnecting the diverter spout 1 or dismantling it from the wall.

It is preferred to give the bafile 19 and the water passage 21 such configurations as to substantial velocity to the water as it passes through the outlet chamber 14 for. developing sufiicient aspirator action. To this end, the cross section of the passage 21 is restricted to less than that of the opening 9, to have maximum velocities in the chamber itself, and the baflle 19 is carried forward from a point where the minimum height of the passage 21 is first established afiter exit from the valve port 12 a distance in excess of the height of the passage 21. Furthermore, the baffle 19 is carried forward of the step 11 with a substantial overhang to protect against the establishment of internal turbulence which may have detrimental effects on the aspirator action, and such overhang, for a diverter spout 1 of usual size, should be at least onequarter of an inch.

It be seen from the above description that the diverter spout of this invention provides positive diverting to a shower head. Due to the aspirator action produced by the flowing water there is little danger of leaking about the valve stem. The construction and operation is simple and efficient, and all parts are accessible from the exterior Without disconnecting the spout.

I claim:

l. In a diverter spout the combination comprising: a spout body having an inlet to receive water, an outlet chamber in the form of a forwardly extending discharge passage that curves downwardly to define an outlet spout that ejects water with a downward component of direction, and a partition separating the inlet from. the outlet chamber, which partition comprises a lower vertical portion rising upward from the bottom of the discharge pas sage of the outlet chamber, a horizontal valve seat extending rearward from the top of the lower vertical portion and being at a level above said outlet spout, and an upper vertical portion rising from the rear of said valve seat to the upper wall of the spout body; a horizontal bafile within said outlet chamber merged with and extending forward from said upper vertical portion of said partition in a position spaced above said horizontal valve seat to likewise be at a level above said outlet spout, said baflle thereby dividing the rear of said outlet chamber into a water pasbut.

sage beneath the baffle which is of less moss section area than the outlet spout and a pocket above the baffle, the forward extent of the baffle being beyond the lower vertical partition portion for a distance at least as great as the height of the water passage to direct water flow forwardly toward the downwardly curved part ofi the outlet chamber which defines said outlet spout; -a valve beneath said valve seat that is lifted to closed position; and a valve stem extending upward from said valve through said valve seat, said baffle and the upper Wall of the spout body.

2. The diverter spout of claim 1 having: a removable plug in the spout wall beneath the valve seat, which plug References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 605,049 Niohol sburg May 31, 1898 873,538 Grantland Dec. 10, 1907 1,878,097 Bletcher et a1. Sept. 20, 1932 2,022,875 Zinkil et a1 Dec. 3, 1935 

1. IN A DIVERTER SPOUT THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A SPOUT BODY HAVING AN INLET TO RECEIVE WATER, AN OUTLET CHAMBER IN THE FORM OF A FORWARDLY EXTENDING DISCHARGE PASSAGE THAT CURVES DOWNWARDLY TO DEFINE AN OUTLET SPOUT THAT EJECTS WATER WITH A DOWNWARD COMPONENT OF DIRECTION, AND A PARTITION SEPARATING THE INLET FROM THE OUTLET CHAMBER, WHICH PARTITION COMPRISES A LOWER VERTICAL PORTION RISING UPWARD FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DISCHARGE PASSAGE OF THE OUTLET CHAMBER, A HORIZONTAL VALVE SEAT EXTENDING REARWARD FROM THE TOP OF THE LOWER VERTICAL PORTION AND BEING AT A LEVEL ABOVE SAID OUTLET SPOUT, AND AN UPPER VERTICAL PORTION RISING FROM THE REAR OF SAID VALVE SEAT TO THE UPPER WALL OF THE SPOUT BODY; A HORIZONTAL BAFFLE WITHIN SAID OUTLET CHAMBER MERGED WITH AND EXTENDING FORWARD FROM SAID UPPER VERTICAL PORTION OF SAID PARTITION IN A POSITION SPACED ABOVE SAID HORIZONTAL VALVE SEAT TO LIKEWISE BE AT A LEVEL ABOVE SAID OUTLET SPOUT, SAID BAFFLE THEREBY DIVIDING THE REAR OF SAID OUTLET CHAMBER INTO A WATER PASSAGE BENEATH THE BAFFLE WHICH IS OF LESS CROSS SECTION AREA THAN THE OUTLET SPOUT AND POCKET ABOVE THE LOWER VERTICAL PARTITION PORTION FOR A DISTANCE AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THE HEIGHT OF THE WATER PASSAGE TO DIRECT WATER FLOW FORWARDLY TOWARD THE DOWNWARDLY CURVED PART OF THE OUTLET CHAMBER WHICH DEFINES SAID OUTLET SPOUT; A VALVE BENEATH SAID VALVE SEAT THAT IS LIFTED TO CLOSED POSITION; AND A VALVE STEM EXTENDING UPWARD FROM SAID VALVE THROUGH SAID VALVE SEAT, SAID BAFFLE AND THE UPPER WALL OF THE SPOUT BODY. 